1. Field of Invention
This invention generally relates to an apparatus that combines tweezers, a magnifying lens and a light source and more particularly to an apparatus that is operable with one hand and concurrently provides direct illumination and magnification to the gripping ends of the tweezers and its immediate surrounding area.
2. Prior Art
Tweezers are used for a wide variety of applications. In the home, they are used to remove splinters, insect stingers or thorns embedded in one's skin. Tweezers are also used as grooming tools to groom eyelashes, eyebrows, mustaches and to remove unwanted hair. They are also used in certain repair work, model building, stamp collecting and other endeavors involving the handing of small items. Tweezers also have a myriad of industrial applications where small articles must be handled with precision. For example, in numerous mechanical assembly operations such as watch repair, tweezers are needed to handle and position the small parts for assembly work. In each application, the item being handled is generally quite small making visibility an inherent problem.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,524,647 to Holoff discloses tweezers in combination with a light source and a magnifying lens. However, insofar as known to the applicant, such prior art assembly has certain deficiencies:                (a) The tweezer assembly is not malleable and is not ergonomically designed so that it fits comfortably within the palm of a user. This adversely affects the ability of the user to manipulate the tweezers to handle a small object.        (b) The tweezers do not retract completely into its housing. The inability of the tweezers to completely retract while in a storage position makes the tweezer assembly prone to breakage and susceptible to snagging on clothing or other items with which such assembly is stored. This limits the ability to conveniently transport and store the assembly when not in use.        (c) The light source is enclosed within the housing of the tweezer assembly, which impairs direct light projection and limits the options to effectively incorporate light sources that can project light fields ranging from a tight, narrow beam to a wider beam output.        (d) The light source needs to be activated using a separate actuating button. Full operation of the tweezer assembly entails a multiple step process to activate the light source and to pivot the tweezers downward.The apparatus disclosed herein helps significantly to solve these problems.        
3. Objects and Advantages
Accordingly, several objects and advantages of my invention are:                (a) to provide a handheld device that integrates a magnifying lens, light source and tweezers and facilitates the gripping and handling of small objects by providing illumination and magnification of the ends of the tweezers, the target object and its immediate surrounding area;        (b) to provide an integrated tweezers-light-magnifier apparatus which is adapted for easy storage and transport when the apparatus is not in use;        (c) to provide an integrated tweezers-light-magnifying apparatus whereby the light source is not enclosed within the housing and is positioned directly above the gripping ends of the tweezers which allows for direct light projection and options to use light sources which allow for different light projection fields.        (d) to provide an integrated tweezers-light-magnifying apparatus composed of minimal mechanical parts, which enhances reliability and allows for ease of use and low cost manufacturing;        (e) to provide an ergonomically designed integrated tweezers-light-magnifying apparatus which does not adversely affect the user's ability to manipulate the tweezers;        (f) to provide an attractive and ergonomically designed apparatus that will enhance the marketability of the product;        
The foregoing and further objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the ensuing description and drawings.